Chair



April 23, 1963 v. PANTON 3,086,818

CHAIR Filed Feb. 2, 1960 /N|/EN r02 VEENEE E M/70M United States Patent 3,086,818 CHAIR Verner Panton, Christiansgade 36, Rungsted Kyst, Denmark Filed Feb. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 6,239 Ciaims priority, application Denmark, Feb. 11, 1959 8 Claims. (Cl. 297349) The essential element of a chair is a substantially horizontal plate, which constimtes the seat, and, for example, a back attached to the seat. Since the seat for several reasons should be disposed at a suitable level above the floor it is also necessary to use supporting members to keep the seat in the desired level. Usually, the supporting members and, incidentally, the seat and, if necessary the back too, are formed with a view to provide a comfortable chair of attractive appearance, and in that case the supporting members may be designed as three or four legs placed at substantial distance from each other.

If there is ample space around the chair, its legs rarely cause any inconvenience to the user, but for certain uses it will be desirable if the space between the seat and the base was substantially free. This applies, for example, if a number of chairs are to be arranged close to each other since, as is known, the rear legs of the chair in that case may cause much inconvenience to the person sitting in a chair placed closed behind and such person will often be prevented from placing his legs beneath his own chair by the front legs of same.

In the said cases the ideal solution would be a chair consisting of a seat mounted at the upper end of a central vertical bar the lower part of which was attached to a perfectly flat foot or base. Such a chair can very well be made and has been made, more particularly in the form of chairs with variable seat level in which the central pin is provided with a screwthread. In practice, the dimensions of such a chair will, however, be inconveniently large, and the feet used have therefore usually been provided with inclining stifi'eners to absorb the heavy load carried by the base, the bar and its connection with the seat of such a chair.

Such a cross of inclined stiffeners supported on the base and e.g. beneath the seat too will, however, fill out the space between the seat and the floor base so that the chair will not be appreciably better in the said respect than a chair with four legs.

Chairs with a central bar of heavy dimensions and with supporting cross are only convenient for working purposes: they are are heavy and costly to manufacture and unsuitable for piling, a requirement often to be met in view of storing and forwarding.

It is the object of the invention to provide a chair of a design having a maximum of free space between its seat and floor base and which can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost, simultaneously with the chair being of attractive appearance, and low weight and is suitable for piling.

An essential feature of the chair according to the invention is that it consists of a flat base or foot slightly raised above the floor and having a hollow conical or pyramidal body which is placed with its pointed end downwards on the base, cooperating means provided on the base and in the pointed part of the said body to retain same to the base, .and a seat placed on the open end of the conical or pyramidal body.

It is a matter of fact that a plate which is bent to form a conical surface is of a very substantial strength and rigidity far superior to that of a design consisting of bars and stifieners of the same material and weight. A chair according to the invention and of very light design will therefore possess sufiicient rigidity and strength for mounting on a single central point located at the floor 'base.

By removing the base and the seat of the chairs and telescoping the conical bodies it is possible to pile a large number of chair frames within a very limited space.

A chair frame consisting of an inverted cone or pyramid is of ideal form with a view to its use together with other chairs arranged close to it, since the sitting persons actually keep their legs in inclined position, substantially following the conical surface without being inconvenienced by the supporting members of the chair.

A chair according to the invention is eminently suitable as a swivel chair and, if so, it is designed according to the invention in such manner that the base has a central, vertically upward projecting pivot or pin around which is provided a rotatable sleeve attached to the pointed end of the cone or pyramid.

In a suitable embodiment of the chair according to the invention the chair may have a back consisting of an extended part of the surface of the cone or pyramid.

Such a chair, which practically grows from a point of the fioor base and widens upwardly to dimensions adapted to fit the human body, will occupy less space than any form of chair known so far, and the supporting members of the chair will not only follow the lines of persons placed near the chair but also the back of the chair will substantially follow the lines of a person sitting in a reclined position behind so that the chairs may be arranged very close to each other.

An embodiment of a chair according to the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, in

which- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the chair,

FIGURE 2 is a section of the chair, viewed from the side, and

FIGURE 3 is a section through the lower part of the chair, viewed on an enlarged scale.

The chair consists of a base 1 made of two crossed steel rails to whose intersection point is welded a vertically disposed pivot or pin 2 having a shoulder 3 and a part 4 above the shoulder of slightly smaller diameter. The last mentioned part is provided with a circular groove 5.

The base 1 carries a rotatable frame 6 consisting of a thin steel plate formed as a conical surface and cut off obliquely so that the upper part of the conical surface constitutes a back 7, whereas the lower part of the oblique cutting forms an opening in which a seat 8 may be mounted. The seat rests on a number of brackets 9 welded to the inner wall of the frame 6.

A transverse plate 10 is attached by welding near the pointed end of the conical surface, and the said plate has a hole opposite which is attached a sleeve 11 the other end of which is welded to the conical surface.

As will be evident from FIGURE 3, the pin 2 is received by the sleeve 11, and the plate 10 rests against the shoulder 3 which carries the load of the chair. The frame 6 may be attached to the base by means of a locking ring inserted in the groove 5.

As will appear from FIGURE 2, the cone is arranged in a somewhat slanting position so that its central axis forms an angle with a vertical axis, and the said slanting position can be determined in accordance with the uses of the chair, since in some cases it is desirable that the chair heels rearwardly and in other cases forwardly. Usually, however, the arrangement shown in FIGURE 2 in which the central axis of the cone extends obliquely forward will be found preferable since this will provide more stability to the chair when the user leans against its back 7.

When the chair is to be forwarded and stored, the base 1 may easily be removed from the frame 6, after which a large number of frames may be piled telescope fashion on removing the seats 8, and a large number of chairs may thus be stored in a confined space. The base 1 may be omitted and the pin 2 be fixed directly in the floor.

The metal plate forming the conical surface may be covered with textile on its entire outer side and on the inner side of the back 7 and an upholstering of foam rubber may be used as indicated at 12 in FIGURE 2.

Instead of a metal plate it is also possible to use e.g. a grid of steel bars which form a conical surface or a pyramidal surface. It is further possible to use a metal plate with a plurality of perforations which may serve to reduce the Weight without involving any appreciable decrease in rigidity or strength.

It will be obvious from the drawing that the chair may consist of very few and simple components so that its cost of manufacture is low, and it is also obvious from the drawing that the chair occupies very little space and consequently is eminently suitable at places where minimum requirements of space are an important consideration. Simultaneously with ofiering these great advantages the chair may constitute a very attractive piece of furniture having a style and comfort far superior to that of other steel furniture, more particularly oflice and working chairs, and it will therefore be very suitable at places where esthetic factors are an important consideration such as in restaurants, reception rooms, theatres and cinemas,

means of transport etc.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A chair comprising a substantially flat base having an upwardly projecting pin, a seat holding hollow body having sides tapering downwardly and inwardly forming a substantially pointed end, first lateral support means positioned proximate to said pointed end, second vertical support means above said end and said first support means and contacting said sides for stabilizing said chair, said first and second support means receiving said pin to maintain said chair in an upright position, said pin being the sole support of said chair.

2. The chair of claim 1, wherein said first means comprises a sleeve integral with said body and journaled to said pin.

:3. The chair of claim 1, having a back consisting of an extended side of said body.

4. The chair of claim 1, having projecting members protruding inwardly from the sides of the body, a removable seat positioned upon said members.

; 5. The chair of claim 1, wherein the vertical axis of said body extends at an angle to the axis of the pin.

6. The chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein the internal diameter of said end is substantially similar to the diameter of said pin.

7. The chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first means comprises a sleeve integral with said body and journaled to said pin, said sides being extended to form a back for said chair, said second means comprising a plate member receiving said pin.

8. The chair as set forth in claim 7, wherein the vertical axis of said body extends at an angle to the axis of said pin and a removable seat is held within said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES, PATENTS Re. 24,569 Thaden Nov. 18, 1958 1,918,190 Miller et a1 July 11, 1933 1,967,016 Weidman July 17, 1934 2,307,897 Overholzer Jan. 12, 1943 2,905,229 Adams Sept. 22, 1959' 2,920,685 Trebilcock Jan. 12, 1960 2,967,565 Schultz Jan. 10, 1961 

1. A CHAIR COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BASE HAVING AN UPWARDLY PROJECTING PIN, A SEAT HOLDING HOLLOW BODY HAVING SIDES TAPERING DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY FORMING A SUBSTANTIALLY POINTED END, FIRST LATERAL SUPPORT MEANS POSITIONED PROXIMATE TO SAID POINTED END, SECOND VERTICAL SUPPORT MEANS ABOVE SAID END AND SAID FIRST SUPPORT MEANS AND CONTACTING SAID SIDES FOR STABILIZING SAID CHAIR, SAID FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORT MEANS RECEIVING SAID PIN TO MAINTAIN SAID CHAIR IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, SAID PIN BEING THE SOLE SUPPORT OF SAID CHAIR. 